Socially Aware

April 25, 2017 - Copyright, IP, Litigation
Limiting Statutory Damages in Internet Copyright Cases
By: Paul Goldstein and Joyce Liou
One of the most significant legal concerns for Internet service providers is the risk of exposure to liability for the copyright infringements of their users. The concern is not unreasonable. Because Internet service providers can be held secondarily liable for the infringements of their
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April 25, 2017 - M&A
M&A Leaders Predict a Bullish Year for Tech Deals
By: Aaron P. Rubin
2017 will be an even busier year than 2016 and 2015 for M&A deals in the technology sector, according to more than half of the dealmakers who responded to the semi-annual M&A Leaders Survey conducted by our colleagues at Morrison & Foerster in partnership
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April 20, 2017 - DMCA, European Union, Marketing, Privacy, Copyright, Section 230 Safe Harbor, Mobile, Litigation
Now Available: The April Issue of Our Socially Aware Newsletter
By: Aaron P. Rubin
The latest issue of our Socially Aware newsletter is now available here. In this edition, we explore the threat to U.S. jobs posed by rapid advances in emerging technologies; we examine a Federal Trade Commission report on how companies engaging in cross-device tracking can stay on
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April 14, 2017 - Advertising, User-Generated Content, Copyright, Free Speech
Social Links: Burger King ad triggers Google Assistant devices; suits allege infringement of copyrights in content posted to social media; Twitter’s hidden “dislike” button
By: Aaron P. Rubin
Without Google’s permission, Burger King ended one of its television commercials with a statement designed to automatically cause Google Assistant devices to read a list of the Whopper’s ingredients out loud. Having passed the 1.2-billion-user mark, Facebook Messenger is now twice as popular as
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April 13, 2017 - Cyberbullying, Event
Gloom Descends on This Year’s SXSW Interactive
For the third year in a row, Socially Aware co-editor Aaron Rubin and I attended SXSW Interactive , which arguably has become the premier annual gathering for the global tech community. But this year, SXSW Interactive had a very different vibe to it than
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April 12, 2017 - Data Security, Cybersecurity
Overview of Ransomware Attacks
By: Aaron P. Rubin
In the most recent edition of his CyberSide Chat series, Socially Aware contributor Andy Serwin discusses ransomware attacks, including: the reasons why ransomware attacks are becoming more common; the types of ransomware attacks companies should prepare to address; and the strategies that companies can
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April 11, 2017 - First Amendment, Cyberbullying, Privacy, Free Speech
Social Links: Twitter sues U.S. government to protect account holder’s ID; Minn. court orders Google to disclose users who searched crime victim’s name; Facebook targets revenge porn
By: Aaron P. Rubin
Twitter is suing the Department of Homeland Security in an attempt to void a summons demanding records that would identify the creator of an anti-Trump Twitter account. Facebook has joined the fight against the nonconsensual dissemination of sexually explicit photos online—content known as “revenge
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April 10, 2017 - Data Security
N.Y.’s New Cybersecurity Regulations: What Financial Services Companies Need to Know
By: Nathan D. Taylor
With corporate data security breaches on the rise, the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) has adopted rules requiring financial institutions to take certain measures to safeguard their data and inform state regulators about cybersecurity incidents. Intended to thwart future cyberattacks and
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April 04, 2017 - Endorsement Guides, Copyright, Employment Law
Social Links: Instagram makes it easy to label content as “sponsored”; Facebook combats fake news; better firefighting through drones
By: Aaron P. Rubin
A court ruled that a particular 98-character tweet wasn’t sufficiently creative to warrant protection under German copyright law. Inspired by a recording posted to Snapchat of a physical attack on a 14-year-old boy, a California bill would make it illegal to “willfully record a
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March 28, 2017 - Blockchain
Delaware Paves the Way for Blockchain Technology
By: Spencer D. Klein
Blockchain has been a hot buzzword in tech circles for some time, and, increasingly, we’re seeing companies—even Fortune 500 companies—announce blockchain-related initiatives. One particular area of interest to corporations is the use of blockchain not for Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, but for the creation
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